Why was the Industrial Revolution one of the most important developments in human history, and why did it happen so quickly?

Answer 1

It involved an entire change in the mentality of the world in terms of resources, including time and money. The first Industrial Revolution, by moving from muscle to mechanical power changed the pace of production. As that pace changed and the hours of production increased, the ability to increase earnings practically without limit presented itself, since one could reinvest earnings to gain even more earning power. This has had a profound impact on our world.